Discussing his team’s upcoming game at South Florida after Wednesday’s overtime victory oner Louisville, Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey said, “If we’re not ready to play, they will beat us in Tampa at noon on Saturday.”
It’s really simple. If the Irish (20-4/9-3) prepare well and give the same great effort we’ve seen throughout the current six game winning streak, they will beat South Florida (8-17/2-10). However, a lax attitude will put Notre Dame in the same jeopardy as Marquette who eked out a 59-58 win in the Sun Dome earlier this week.
Saturday’s game is a great opportunity for ND, the Big East’s second place team, who won’t play again for a week while other contenders butt heads. Just this weekend:
- Syracuse will travel to Louisville
- Pittsburgh will play at Villanova
- Marquette will visit Georgetown
And during the week:
- West Virginia will travel to Syracuse
- Georgetown will visit Connecticut
- Connecticut will play at Louisville
Some of those contenders have games against middle of the pack Big East teams that are also chances to stumble. If Notre Dame takes care of business on Saturday, it gets to watch as the teams just below them in the standings knock each other off. This game can put the Irish in great shape for claiming a double bye in the Big East Tournament and position them for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
What you need to know about South Florida
- #15 scoring offense in the Big East, 63.2 ppg
- #11 scoring defense in the Big East, 69.2 ppg
- #3 free throw percentage in the Big East, 74.9%
- #11 field goal percentage in the Bg East, 41.5%
- #9 field goal percentage defense in the Big East, 43.2%
- #15 three-point percentage in the Big East, 29.3%
- #3 rebounding margin in the Big East, +2.8
- #14 assists per game in the Big East, 12.1
- #16 turnover margin in the Big East, -6.1
- #16 assists/turnover ratio in the Big East, 0.8
The Bulls have size, quickness, and experienced players. Their problem is that they don’t take care of the ball.
6’10” junior forward Augustus Gilchrist is USF’s leading scorer (13.6) and rebounder (7.6). He is the #5 rebounder in the conference. Point guard Anthony Crater is 4th in assists with 5.6 per game compared to just 2.6 turnovers. Unfortunately for USF, the forwards turn the ball over a lot; and they don’t pass well.
What you need to know about Notre Dame
- #6 scoring offense in the Big East, 69.8 ppg
- #6 scoring defense in the Big East, 66.4 ppg
- #5 free throw percentage in the Big East, 73.5%
- #5 field goal percentage in the Big East, 45.7%
- #11 field goal percentage defense in the Big East, 43.8%
- #4 three-point percentage in the Big East, 38.4%
- #8 rebounding margin in the Big East, +0.2
- #9 assists per game in the Big East, 14.3 per game
- #9 turnover margin in the Big East, +0.4
- #4 assist/turnover ratio in the Big East, 1.3 (4 teams tied)
Ben Hansbrough’s 19.8 points per game lead the Irish in scoring. He is now 3rd in the conference. Tim Abromaitis (12.7), Scott Martin (10.5), and Carleton Scott (10.3) add double-digit averages Scott’s is ND’s leading rebounder with 6.5 per game. Ty Nash, Martin, and Abromaitis each add more than 5 boards per game. Eric Atkins brings his league leading 3.0 assist/turnover ratio off the bench.
The Matchup
The key to a Notre Dame victory is as obvious by observation as it is from the stats. Don’t let Gilchrist have his way around the basket. Force the Bulls to make outside shots. Win the game.
Rebounding will be the key because the Bulls don’t shoot well. Gilchrist, Ron Anderson, Jr., and Jarrid Famous are all strong on the boards. When USF is competitive, second chance points are the inevitable deciding actor.t
Game Information
- #8 Notre Dame (20-4/9-3) at South Florida (8-17/2-10)
- Saturday, February 12th, at noon (ET)
- The Sun Dome, Tampa, Florida
- Television: Big East Syndication including WMYS (69 over the air, 269 Comcast digital) in South Bend. Check local listings or satellite sports channel schedules to see if it’s available for you.
- Internet: ESPN3.com
(Note: All cited statistics are for conference games through Thursday, February 10th